


The Serpent Lord

by Inoriekay



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adoption, Anal Sex, Animal Transformation, Canon Compliant - OotP, Creature Fic, Dark Harry, Dom/sub, F/M, Families of Choice, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Oral Sex, Parseltongue, Power Tripping Dumbledore, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sex Toys, Slytherin Harry, Spanking, Vampires, Voyeurism, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-08-28 08:51:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8439223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inoriekay/pseuds/Inoriekay
Summary: Harry came into a creature inheritance the summer between his sixth and seventh year at Hogwarts.  Normally this would be hard enough to deal with but he finds he may have much more on his plate than even he can handle. Harry struggles with the new instincts of dominant and submissive shifters around him as he tries to find his new place in the world.  Former friends become his worse enemies and former enemies turn out to be unshakable friends as Harry learns not to be anyone pawn but the Lord he was born to be.





	1. New Side

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I in no shape, form, or fashion own any of the characters from Harry Potter this fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes.
> 
> I have No Beta so I am sorry for and grammatical or spelling errors.  
> Bold Italics = Parseltongue  
> Italics = Mental Conversations or Thoughts

### Chapter 1: New Sides

Harry stepped off of the Hogwarts Express on to the Hogsmead Station and for the first time in his life wanted to get back on the train and go home. Around him his fellow students all laughed and had smiles on their faces but he could not bring himself to join in. Thank Morgana, this was his last year. Harry moved through the jubilant crowds towards the carriages because he knew it would take the rest of the students a few minutes to head that way and he needed the quite. 

The crisp night air kissed his cheeks as he approached the Thestrals. Harry had to wonder if it was really colder than normal or if the creature inheritance he had come into a few months back was making him more sensitive to the chill. Harry held out his hand to the one of the Thestrals and it recoiled slightly from his predatory smell. Harry was patient and waited for the Thestral to decide if he was a threat or not and slowly it relaxed in his presences and let him pet it’s neck. 

“Mr. Potter?” Professor McGonagall called out as she approached from the direction of the castle.

Harry Potter, Saviour or Slave, he wondered to which title McGonagall adhered to him but he pretty much knew the answer. He scolded himself for doubting her when she had never acted in a way that had harmed him. 

He shook his disillusioned thoughts away and acknowledged her, “Greetings Professor McGonagall.” 

Before she had closed the distance between them he checked that the high neck of his under shirt would hide the slowly scarring marks on his neck. He had only received them on his birthday and they were nowhere near fully healed. Professor McGonagall cared about him enough that she would be overly worried over the marks. However he would never be able to convince her that the marks on his neck were because of Dumbledore and not Voldemort so he felt it wisest to hide them for the moment.

“Mr. Potter, Dumbledore asked me to come speak with you about the request you sent in to the board of governors.”

Harry gently interrupted her, “Before you begin Professor please let me assure you, I meant no offense to you. I love Gryffindor I do. You have been a wonderful head of house to me. However a lot has happened to me since my inheritance. I have thought much about this and am positive that a resort is for the best.”

Professor McGonagall looked like she was very disappointed, “Oh well, if you are certain of this dear then we won’t stop you. The Board has approved your request for a resorting.”

Harry inwardly snorted. Of course they had approved the resort. Despite his temporary stint in Azkaban Lucius was still on the board of governors and had a good deal of influence over the others. One “request” from a certain Dark Lord and it was guaranteed his resorting would be set for approval before it even crossed into the Governor's hands. 

Harry stepped back from Professor McGonagall and then he dipped his head to her, “Thank you, for letting me know. So how does this process work?”

“We will do the resorting after the first years have been placed into their houses so you will sit at Gryffindor for the first part of the night.” Harry nodded his understanding and started to mentally prepare himself for facing the rest of the seventh year Gryffindors. Harry turned his attention back to her as she frowned towards the student over by the train. 

“Now, Mr. Potter, have you seen Mr. Longbottom about anywhere?”

“No Professor that is because he is not here. According to the last letter I received from him, he indicated he was not coming back this year.” When she looked at him in shock so he nodded to assure her he was telling the truth and not joking, “It was last week and he indicated that his Gran planned to hire him Newt tutors and he would be home schooled this year.”

“That is alarming news. Did he tell you why?”

Harry ducked his head like he was hiding something so she would know that there was more to the story then he would tell her, “He just told me that a talk he had with the Headmaster at the end of last year left him feeling uncomfortable with the direction of his schooling.”

The truth was Neville had told him exactly why he wasn’t returning. Dumbledore had called him to a meeting at the end of last year and told Neville that he was expected to follow in his parents footsteps. He had informed Neville that as part of his seventh year he would be required to take the same Combat Magic lessons as Harry had been taking for all of the previous year. He indicated that Neville and Harry would both be inducted into the Order of the Phoenix upon graduation. Neville’s Grandmother never wanted him to join the Order so she was happy to keep Neville out of Dumbledore’s clutches.

Professor McGonagall looked noticeably flustered, “Well, I guess Dumbledore did not know that?” She turned and spotted Seamus as made his way towards Harry. Harry smile at the other boy knowing why he had separated himself from the crowd as well. “Oh Mr. Finnigan, I have to ask you if you are sure of your petition?”

Seamus looked to Harry before he answered and was reassured by Harry’s smile, “Yes I am sure, Professor.”

“Very well Mr. Finnigan, Mr. Potter can explain to you what will happen. I will see you both up at the castle.” She turned and climbed into the first carriage to ride back before the students.

Harry turned back to Seamus and explained, “We sit at Gryffindor until the first years are sorted and then we will be called up to be resorted.”

“Blimey mate, you mean we have to sit with them still and face their wrath when it is announced?” His friend had very strong emotions of fear showing in his eyes.

Harry hushed him and it worked. Seamus’s submissive side had been extremely close to the surface since his inheritance and he had responded well control. Harry’s creature was a dominant so Seamus accepted his order knowing he would provide him with comfort in return. 

Harry wrapped his arm around Seamus’s shoulder to give him the contact without playing up their creature instincts for the arriving student body. “None of them will lay a hand on you Seamus. If you stay by my side I swear I won’t let them touch you.” He guided Seamus away from the front carriages as the students began to converge on them. He added darkly, “Besides you can trust that you are not as torn up about the seating plans as I am.”

Seamus look at him with sympathy, “What did Ron and Hermione do to make you hate them so much?”

Harry felt his body stiffen against the memories. He shook his head and turned cold eyes on Seamus, “Don’t ask me again because I won’t spe-” Harry was interrupted by a girly squeal.

“HARRY!” Ginny rushed over and hugged him. She was completely oblivious to his ridged posture and Dark complexion. She tugged at his upper arm and babbled on, “Harry I haven’t see you since Fleur and Bill’s wedding. How have you been? Did you go on holiday? Come on Harry come ride in our carriage.”

Harry peered over to see that she was intent on leading him towards Ron, Hermione, and Dean. He hissed deep in his chest and the sound startled her enough to make her stop tugging at him at least, “Not for a King’s ransom, Gin.”

Ginny finally regarded him and looked a little disconcerted to see he was not even tenuously happy. “Come on Harry, I know you, Ron, and Hermione are fighting but you should make up now.”

“Look at me Ginny.” He unbuttoned his collar so that the marks were visible in the gap. Vivid burn marks in the pattern of a half inch wide chain crossed over his throat four times. Seamus gasped as he saw them.

Harry continued to try to get Ginny to see them. “Don’t look through me, look at me.” He pointed to his neck but Ginny never once took her eyes from his face. He sighed knowing she wouldn’t come around for a while. “Ginny, I will not make amend with them. That is never going to happen. I will still be your friend if you want, but I cannot forgive them for what they did.” He closed his collar once more and then looked away from her.

Ginny pouted like he was taking away her favourite toy. “But Harry I hoped … Can’t we be more then friends? I want to be.”

Harry shook his head stiffly, “No Gin. First of all I am not into woman. Secondly even if I were, I wouldn’t see you like that. You will always be my little sister, Gin, I cannot change that.”

“I am not a child,” Ginny retorted quite petulantly and turned to join her brother and Hermione in the carriage. 

Harry sighed as he rubbed his forehead, “Here we go.”

Seamus reached over and squeezed his shoulder in support. They made their way down the line of carriages again. Seamus smiled brightly as he saw Blaise Zabini. The dark skinned Slytherin was scaring away the younger Slytherins from his carriage which already held Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, and Gregory Goyle. 

Pansy scowled and Harry and Seamus heard her complain to him, “Really Blaise, who are you waiting for? You know none of the others in our year could risk coming back. In all honesty I am scared that you choose to return.”

Blaise ignored her griping and his face turned luminous as Seamus approached him. He caught Seamus’s hand and caressed the back of it with his thumb. Seamus returned the caress by tracking his free hand up the Slytherin’s arm to squeeze it at his elbow. 

Blaise leaned in and his lips almost touched Seamus’s ear. He spoke only loud enough for their small group to hear him, “Are you well, my mate?” 

Seamus nodded to his dominate mate while Pansy and Millicent both gasped loudly. They were clearly disgusted by the thought, but they did not argue with their housemate either. The Dark Order was filled with shifters and the bond between true mates was not something that was ever questioned. 

Seamus reached up and lightly brushed his fingers over Blaise’s chest before he settled them on back onto Blaise’s upper arm. “Yes, the governors approved our resort so with any bit of luck Harry and I will be in Slytherins before the night is done.”

Millicent snorted, “Yeah right, if you two half-bloods are to be sorted into our house then I am the Dark Lord’s lover.”

“Shut up Millicent.” Blaise ordered before he glanced to Harry. 

Harry shook his head, “I am fine Blaise. Get in, so I can check your arm.”

Blaise nodded in acknowledgement of the order but first he moved to help Seamus up into the carriage. Then he climbed up himself. Harry followed them in and for the first time the other three Slytherins noticed Harry was wearing School robes made from material that the higher bred wizard and witches used not the old cheap ones he used to wear. 

When their carriage separated itself from the milling students for the ride up to the castle Blaise cautiously pulled back his sleeve on his left arm. On his forearm was a distorted Dark Mark but anyone that was familiar with the Death Eaters symbol would recognize it distortion or not.

Pansy scolded him, “Blaise are you mental?” She glanced warily at Harry. 

Harry shrugged and reached for Blaise’s arm. Pansy reacted by pulling her wand on him but Harry ignored her. He moved his hand over Blaise’s forearm in and intricate pattern as he murmured an incantation under his breath. By the time he was finished Blaise’s forearm appeared to be as bare as the day he had been born. 

Blaise sighed in relief, “Thanks, Harry.”

“Check it every morning. If you see any hint of the spell unravelling, then come to me and I will recast it. But keep it cover at all times around the Headmaster. I have long suspected he can see through invisibility charms and glamours.” 

Blaise nodded and then he turned his attention to Seamus. The pair of them sat hand in hand as they whispered to each other. Harry turned his own attention out at the woods since he was not interested in conversing with the two bitchy women. 

That did not suit Pansy though. She pointed her wand at Harry, so he glanced back at her to check her intentions. When their eyes met and she snarled, “Legilimens!” 

Harry smirked as Pansy tried to delve into his mind and effectively hit a brick wall. As she cried out and clutched her head in pain. He chuckled at here discomfort, “That was ill-advised.”

She growled back, “How dare you?”

“How dare you try to look into my mind without permission? I would not suggest trying it again. I have been trained in Occlumency by the top ranked Death Eaters. You will only continue to hurt yourself if you attempt to invade my mind further.” Blaise turned back to Harry with pleading eyes and the Gryffindor cast a silencing spell over them so that the other three in the carriage would not hear them. 

Blaise place his hand over his heart and said, “Please My Lord, they don’t know any better. Please spare them they are my friends as thick-headed as they may be.”

Harry hissed at him, but it was a sound of annoyance rather than anger, “If I wanted them dead I would have done it by now. Also what have I told you about calling me your Lord?” Blaise shrugged helplessly which made Harry roll his eyes. “Beside all that you should get them in line. They are the idiots that saw me cast a wandless spell and still choose to attack me.”

Blaise nodded but sighed heavily at the thought of the prospect. After a moment of silence he looked over Harry’s pinched complexion, “It may be a stupid question to ask but how are you holding up?”

Harry felt his fang lengthen in response to his stress level. He snapped them frustration. It was satisfying to see on the other side of the silencing barrier the other three Slytherins shift back in their seat at the sight of his fangs. 

Harry sighed wearily, “I want My Mate. I am tired and irritable and it feels as if a part of me is missing.”

Seamus made a small sound of distress which made Blaise put his arm around him but he offered, “At least you know Our Lord can take care of himself.”

Harry scowled, “Yes I know that but that does not mean as the dominant mate I do not wish to be by his side every moment of the day to protect him myself.”

“It isn’t just him though,” Blaise stated. “You haven’t noticed because your creature inheritance is so new to you. However the rest of the Shifters within the Dark Order who have met you have noticed that you are not just a dominant, you are an Alpha. You are meant to be the strongest. You are meant to lead. I mean even Greyback defers to you and he is one of the most fearsome Alpha Werewolves in the country. I do not know why you fight your need to lead.”

“You do know why I do not step into that role Blaise we have discussed this already. I have to protect my mate.”

“I don’t believe you are. I believe you are hurting him.”

“Do not question if I take care of my mate!”

“Yes Alpha,” Blaise deferred before he turned back to speak with Seamus.

Harry hissed in frustration again and cancelled the silencing charm around them. He turned back to glare at the passing forest. His skin was itching with an irritation that was maddening. He felt he was about three seconds from jumping out of the carriage and walking to the castle when Goyle reached across the gap to touch his knee. 

“Stay, we won’t bother you anymore.”

Harry frowned up at Goyle who shrugged, “I did not get any creature inheritance this summer but I developed a family power for empathy. I could feel you wanted to get away from us.”

Harry nodded and then looked out into the woods again. “Isolation helps with the pain.”

“Misery does not love company in this case,” Goyle gave him a small smile and then turned to engage the girls in a new conversation. Harry returned the small smiled as best he could and then went back to enduring the separation from his mate.

\-----

Tom Riddle also known as Lord Voldemort was holed up in his bedroom in Malfoy Manor as he sulked. It was hardly a display befitting a Dark Lord so he had retreated the moment he realized he was doing it. The torches and candles were all put out except for two small pillar candles on his bedside table. 

Tom’s mind kept going back to the last kiss he had received from his mate before the black haired scourge had left to get on the train back to school. Tom had just found his mate. He wanted more than a month with him before they had to be apart. He curled up with Nagini and stroked her to ease his mood. She was had a plethora of ideas about how to handle his problems but none of them were feasible. The more ideas she spouted off the more Tom wished he had not allowed her the right to speak her mind whenever she wish.

_**“Well then why not kidnap him. That way the he is excusssed from ssschool and you have him back. I am sssure Harry would appreciate it.”** _

Tom shook his head, _**“He would not. I have sssuggesssted thisss to him already but he insssissstsss on finissshing ssschool ssso he can have a normal life asss a cover to being part of the Dark Order.”**_

Nagini let out a broken hiss that was the closest thin a snake could come to simulate laughter. She slide up the bed and rubbed her head against his cheek. _**“Your mate isss sssmart. He isss ssstill looked at as a light wizard. It cannot look like you changed him. For the world to accept you asss a pair they mussst sssee him changing firssst.”**_ She looked into his tired eyes and asked, _**“How do you feel? Isss it asss bad asss you though it would be?”**_

_**“Worssse and better at the sssame time. We haven’t fully mated yet ssso I can ignore the bond it if I have the mind to. But on the reverssse ssside of the coin I never thought I would feel ssso lossst without him here. I am Lord Voldemort, the Dark Lord, but thingsss that usssed to be sssimple like making plansss and giving ordersss feel ssso foreign now.”** _

_**“That isss becaussse he isss your Dominant, and your Alpha. For all thessse yearsss you have had to be the ssstrong one to ensssure no one would sssee your sssubmissssssive ssside and ussse it to hurt you. When he came into your life you for the firssst time let your guard down. You realisssed he could take care of you. Now that you have felt that it feelsss awkward to be your normal aggressssssive ssself.”** _

_**“The Death Eatersss will not accept him.”** _

_**“No, which isss sssomething I wissshed to dissscussssss with you. Have you looked around you lately? The Death Eatersss are archaic and have ssserved their purpossse. This war needsss to end but many of your followersss live for nothing but the war. You need to re-evaluate what it is you truly want and then determine who among your followersss will truly assssssissst you to those end. The ressst ssshould be eliminated.”** _

_**“Eliminate?”**_ Tom chuckled at her wording.

_**“Eliminated, Removed, Jettisssoned, sssomething along thossse linesss. If they can no longer ssserve your purposssesss then they should not be in your way. Worssse isss that sssome of them have made and will continue to make you look bad to the ressst of the wizarding world.”** _

Tom nodded, _**“You are right.”**_

_**“Of courssse I am. I am a geniusss.”** _

_**“And Modessst too,”**_ Tom laughed as he sat up. There was a knock at the door. He waved his hand so that a few of the torches about the room flared to life. He winced at the extra light but he replied. “Enter.”

Rodolphus passed the threshold with a stack of reports in his hand. He gavehis Lord a small smile before he started to speak cryptically, “My Lord, I thought I would take down some of the reports form our followers for you. I figured you would just have to review them while you are recovering from your illness.”

Tom scowled, “That had better not be the story you have told them.”

“No My Lord, I told them you had another matter to attend to obviously.”

“Obviously,” Tom agreed and held out his hand for the reports. Rodolphus gave them to him and then asked, “May I speak freely, my Lord, one shifter to another?”

“Speak.”

“I know that isolation feels like a relief from the pain but it really isn’t you will degrade faster if you insist on isolating yourself. Nagini helps, but stay in contact with her for too long and you will wish to shift into your serpent form and stay that way. You need human interaction too remind yourself that your natural state is human.”

Tom knew Rodolphus was right but he did not want to admit it right away. He baited him, “How can you give shifter advice. You do not shift except on the full moon and even then you have never done it near to our pack. You and Rabastan take off for parts unknown every full moon.”

“We vowed when we left our birth pack we would never shift of our free will again. To break that vow now would mean that our birth pack would hunt us down and execute us.”

“Why?”

“It is our belief in Pack before even blood, so to take a rouge Status to receive freedom from a pack. It is the gravest of social stigmas one can have. As such any shifter must pay an equivalent price for such a disgrace and the losing your right to shift. It has been the cost since ancient times and is universal throughout the entire world.”

Tom scowled at him, “Rodolphus, do you really think I do not know you are a Hellhound?”

Rodolphus shrugged, “It is easier not to say what I am because the truth scares people. My own mate included.” 

Tom nodded as he though back many, many years ago to the first and last time Bellatrix had went with Rabastan and Rodolphus for a full moon. She had been so terrified when they returned that she had locked herself in Narcissa and Lucius’s bedroom and refused to leave for three weeks. Tom pulled himself from his memories and asked. “Did you share this information about isolation with, my mate?”

“No, my Lord, it did not occur to me until you snuck off this afternoon.”

“Could you get the information to Severus without being seen?”

“No, but with your permission I can pass the information to Remus Lupin. He has a way of contacting his mate without alerting Dumbledore.” 

“Do that. I don’t want my mate to hurt himself accidentally.”

\-----

Accidentally hurting himself was not Harry’s problem. After the first years had been sorted Professor McGonagall had informed the student body of the resort. When she had called for Seamus to come forward first Ron did the stupidest thing he could and got in Seamus’ way. 

“Are you kidding? You want to get resorted. You are a damned traitor!”

Harry stood up fast and pushed Seamus behind him. “Leave him alone Weasel. Maybe some of us are tired of being the Headmaster’s slaves.”

“Some of us? You too!” Ron gripped Harry’s shirt but Harry twisted his wrist as he pulled it off of him.

“You say one more word and I will end you.”

“Monster!” Ron yelped and Harry let his fist fly into the fools face. He connected solidly with Ron’s jaw leaving a dull ache in his hand but by the way Ron was whimpering Harry suspected he had at least knocked out a tooth. 

“Harry Potter, what is the meaning of this!” Professor McGonagall yelled at him. 

Harry ignored her and looked to Dumbledore. He was seeing the room in black and white so he knew his eyes had shifted to serpentine slits. He arched his brow to the headmaster and waited. The Old Goat rose from his seat and cleared his throat, “Minerva, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley had a bit of an unresolved conflict this summer and as you can see the creature side of Harry has not come to terms with that. However, I am certain if we overlook this little fight they will agree to remain civil for the rest of the term won’t you boys.” 

Harry nodded and said, “Yes Headmaster.”

Ron glared at Harry but nodded, “Go ahead Headmaster, sort him in with the other snakes where he belongs.” 

Harry smiled evilly as he passed Ron on the way to the front. Only Hermione and Seamus were close enough to hear the threat he delivered as he passed Ron, “Need I remind you that I could send you to Azkaban, if I pressed charges for this summer Weasel.”

Ron snapped, “You have no proof.”

Harry quickly unbuttoned his collar. “What are these then, Mate?” Ron looked down at them and was surprised by them however the anger and pain overwhelmed it quickly and the glare returned. “Last warning stay away from me.”

Harry pulled Seamus beside him and then urged him towards the front. The other Gryffindors murmured as they passed but no one stopped them. Professor McGonagall looked flustered and angry with Harry but he saw her startled a bit as they reached her. He was confused unto he realized she had spotted the scars on his throat. He resigned himself to situation because he could hardly hide hem now. 

Harry urged Seamus to take his seat on the stool. He crossed his arms and yawned in a board fashion while he waited for McGonagall to move things alone. The action allowed his wickedly sharp fangs the catch the candlelight. Instantly the hall was murmuring as they speculated on his shifter side.

McGonagall cleared her throat, “I will remind students of the recent Creature protection laws that have gone into effect in the past year. No creature unless convicted of a crime can be forced to reveal his creature heritage. And violence against a creature without proof of imminent danger shall be tried as a hate crime. Seeing as we have a few students with creature inheritances this year I am urging you all to think before you act.” 

When the sound in the Great Hall had settled she moved towards Seamus and lifted the hat. Seamus flinched when the old hat settled down onto his head, but as it spoke to him he relaxed. It only took a moment for it to call out Slytherin. Harry smiled as Seamus’s tie turned instantly from the Gryffindor colours to the Slytherin ones. Seamus jumped up from the stool and ran to Blaise. Blaise stood up to greet his mate. It was entire un-Slytherin like as Blaise pulled Seamus in for a passionate kiss in front of everyone. 

Severus stood up and scowled, “Mr. Zabini conduct yourself like a Slytherin and teach your boyfriend how to act as well.”

Blaise nodded and pulled Seamus down beside him, “Sorry Professor, I will do that.”

Harry shook his head at the pair but could not help the small smile that forced its way to the surface at their display. His Alpha nature cause him to bask in the happiness of his subordinates were happy. 

When Professor McGonagall called his name. He blanked the emotions off of his face as he sat down on the stool. Professor McGonagall was about to place the hat on him when Dumbledore cleared his throat. “Harry, I would like to see you in my office after the feast has concluded.”

Harry turned and narrowed his serpentine eyes at the headmaster. He ignored the anxious reaction of the rest of the teaching staff and looked eyes with Dumbledore alone. “I request that the Deputy Headmistress and my head of house whomever that is be present.”

“Whatever for, Harry?” Dumbledore asked calmly. Harry fixed a glare at the man until he sighed, “Very well, go ahead Minerva.” 

Professor McGonagall dropped the sorting Hat on Harry’s head and the Hat chuckled, _“Well, well, well, what did I tell you all those years ago, Harry?”_

_“I know. Get it over with how often do you get the chance to say I told you so.”_

_“I told you so!”_ The Hat stated with so much glee. _“Now then your mind has improved quite a bit so you would do well in either Ravenclaw or Slytherin.”_

Harry shrugged mentally, _“I will leave it up to you this time so long as I am not in Gryffindor. You would be an accomplice to murder if you put me back there.”_

 _“Oh trust me I can see that all too clearly. Well based on your new personality I say it better be …_ **Slytherin!”**

Harry stood and passed the Hat to Professor McGonagall and then hugged her. She hugged him back tightly. “I am still here whenever you need me Mr. Potter.” 

“Thank you Professor.” Harry looked at Severus as he stepped away from her and dipped his head to him. Severus had frowned at his hug but he nodded his head in acknowledgement. Harry walked calmly down and sat beside Goyle across from Seamus. Pansy and Millicent look at him closely as he sat down. The seventh year Slytherins waited until the feast had begun before they started to talk.

Millicent spoke to Harry first, “I can’t decide if those eyes are creepy or mesmerizing.”

“I am a snake shifter.” Harry shrugged. 

Blaise smirked, “Snakes are meant to have hypnotic eyes. Have you managed to fully shifted yet, Harry?”

“No, just eyes and fangs so far, but Mrs. Malfoy did test my venom. It is deadly. She believes based off the sample that I will be a type of Oxyuranus, also known as a Taipan. They are normally found in Australia.”

“Hey, why are they less slit-like now?” Millicent asked still staring at Harry’s eyes. 

“Because they do that. the pupils constrict and thin out when exposed to light like normal human pupils do but they also do it when I am extremely pissed off.”

Seamus looked down at the marks on his throat and bit his lip. “Those were made with silver right? That is why they are scarring.” Harry nodded as he looked down at his fingers. There were scars forming on them from where he had attempted to pull the chains from around his neck. Seamus was concerned by his lack of verbal response so he prompted him, “Harry?”

“I can’t tell you Seamus. It is too hard for me to admit what happened. After all it has only been a month.”

Blaise looked over the wounds with a sour expression on his face, “There are several ways of settling a new shifter at their inheritance. From the way you are hesitant to talk about it I am guessing that you were not around any other shifters at the time your inheritance came in.” Harry didn’t respond which was all the confirmation Blaise needed. He turned to Seamus and brushed his arm with his fingers, “The people who were around him used one of the ancient methods of taming him.”

Seamus whimpered slightly, “Taming?”

Blaise continued to rub his arm to keep him calm, “You remember your first night right. I am certain you mum and Grandfather had some kind of ritual they did that kept you from fully turning into your creature. It reminded you that you were still human. Yes?” Seamus nodded and Blaise continued. “These are known as Taming Rituals, because they tie you more strongly to your human side and seal the beast within. The ritual that used on Harry was not as kind as the one your mum used on you and yes they used silver to force him through it.”

Harry nodded while he sipped his pumpkin juice. It was clear Blaise’s family were a long established line of shifters like the Black Family. Without being told Blaise knew exactly what Harry had been through the night of his inheritance which was oddly comforting. 

The rest of the meal settled into typical pureblood chatter but after he had stayed at Malfoy Manor with Tom for a month he knew enough to at least contribute to the conversations. Blaise was well on his way to being a friend. Harry had gotten to know the last month through Seamus. He was a pure blood but he did not hold anything against half-bloods or muggle born so long as they put the wizarding world first. 

Harry was pleased to find that his initial dislike of the three other Slytherins was not all encompassing. Goyle was not as dumb as he appeared from afar. The reason he appeared so dense was more because he was a big guy who was naturally shy, as a result he felt more comfortable if he chose not to talk. 

Pansy was as stuck up as he suspected, but she was patient with Seamus once she had notice that the boy was wearing the Zabini family crest. The old wizard family mark was embroidered on his school robes opposite the Hogwarts crest in a very dark green that only noticeable up close in the light of the Great Hall. Harry was pleased as he watched her recognition to the fact that Seamus and Blaise were in a formal engagement. She opened up to the half-blood for the sake of her friendship with Blaise. 

Millicent was the worst of them and she actually exceeded Harry’s expectations. She ignored Seamus except to berate his manors and steadily baited Harry with everything from jabs at his friends present and former. She attacked his family line and then moved onto Harry’s muggle family.

“I bet those muggles you live with love the fame, huh? I bet being related to Harry Potter is the highlight of their lives right?”

Harry rolled his eyes, “Of course, they absolutely they love me.”

Again Seamus gave out a pained whimper but his time Harry smiles to assure him that he is alright. Blaise nodded and settled his mate while Harry tuned to Millicent. “Actually they have never heard of me. They are muggles after all.”

“Don’t lie. I am certain they treat you like royalty.”

Harry shrugged and stacked his empty desert dishes up and they instantly vanished from in front of him. Instead of leaning on the table like he would have done in years past he practiced the good posture that Narcissa had been training him in and sat up straight in his seat. When Harry had not paying attention to Millicent had continued rant, so Harry was startled when both Goyle and Blaise pulled their wands out and pointed them at her.

“Take it back, Millicent.” Blaise directed sharply.

Millicent huffed, “No, whomever Potter is sleeping with has obviously over inflated his already large ego. You are not good enough for us Potter you are nothing but Halfblood filth.”

Harry cleared his throat and prepared the argument Narcissa had explained to him, “I am actually first generation Pure blood, Millicent. My father was a pure blood and my mother was a witch as well there for pure blood.”

Blaise and Goyle both smiled while Millicent sputtered like and angry spitting cobra. “Your blood is still trash because she was muggleborn. Your lover is trash for lowering their standards to accommodate you.”

Harry felt the serpent in him was ready to strike for her comments but he held it back by sheer will power. He had already lost control once tonight and could not afford to do it again. His skin on his face, neck, and arms tingled. He pulled his sleeve back he found patches of scales rather than skin. Harry drew a calming breath but was pleased to see that his display of scales has startled Millicent into silence. 

He stood up and climbed over the bench, “I need some air. It is too heated in here. If dinner ends and I am not back don’t wait for me because I need to meet with The Headmaster before bed.” 

Seamus and Blaise nodded as Harry made his way into the Entrance hall. He slipped out the doors into the castle steps. Instead of going down into the courtyard he walked to the side of the steps so he could lean on the hand railing. The evening air by that point was well and truly chilled, so Harry pulled his robes tighter about himself and cast a warming charm as he looks up at the stars. 

A few minutes later Goyle joined him. He is clearly still seething and through clenched teeth he explains that Severus had told him to take a walk. Harry nodded and let the other Slytherin seethe silently beside him. After a moment the Slytherin reached into his robes and pulls out a pack of Muggle cigarettes. He lit one and took drag with a practiced easy. He offered the cigarette to Harry who shook his head. Goyle nodded and continued to smoke. He made sure to keep an eye on the wind so that the smoke blew away from Harry.

“Blood Hell … Millicent is …” He sighed heavily and then spoke in a stiff tone. “No one knows yet but I have been seeing a half-blood. She has a large family on both sides, muggle and Wizard. I don’t feel I am degrading myself being with her or her family.”

Harry picked up easily on Goyle’s position and he looked over at the other teen. “That is good. But what does your family think?”  
Goyle relaxed a fraction, “Mum isn’t here to complain and my Dad he doesn’t care. I mean he is a …”

“A Dusky Regular,” Harry offered and Goyle raised an eyebrow at that.

Harry took the cigarette from Goyle and took a draw from it. He coughed and passed it back quickly. “Nope they don’ get better with time.”

Goyle laughed and clapped him on the back when he coughed some more, “tried them before have you?”

Harry nodded when his lungs stopped rebelling against him. “My cousin bought some when he went through a phase, but his parents wouldn’t have it. I nicked one from pack in the bin to try and it was no better than now.”

“Mary’s brother got me hook into them. Trust me, it is better for you to continue to hate them.”

Harry nodded but turned back towards the school when he heard a clamour of voices from inside the entrance hall. “Oh well, time to head back in.”

Goyle nodded too. He snuffed out the end of the cigarette on his lighter and then put the half used cigarette back into his pack. As they walked back into the entrance hall Goyle said, “I will see you when you get back to the dorms. Seamus will be taking Theo’s old bed since it is beside Blaise’s but do you have a preference for either Crabbe’s old bed or Draco’s.” 

“I have lived with Draco for a month, so I know how neat he is, so I am going to say his bed.”

Goyle grinned, “Smart man, Crabbe was a bit of a slob.”

Severus walked up behind them and nudged Goyle, “Come along Mr. Goyle. Potter has tied up my evening so I would like to get our house settled quickly.” 

“Yes Professor,” Goyle turned and headed for his classmates while Severus hung back by Harry.

Harry met Severus’s eyes and spotted the worry in them, “Do not go into his office without me.”

“I won’t Professor,” Harry promised as he made his way slowly up to the Headmaster’s office. 

Harry waited beside the gargoyle. He leaned back against the wall and absently checked to see if all his creature features had faded. When he was satisfied with his inspection he called out, “Kreacher?”

There was a pop before the Black’s family elf came into existence in front of him. “Young Master?” 

“Kreacher, how are Sirius and Remus?”

“They are good, Young Master. In fact Master Remus had bid me bring this letter to Master Severus just before you called for me.”

“Severus will be here shortly, but I suspect I will not be left alone until he gets here. Will you hide nearby and act as witness to whatever the Old Goat says or does to me?”

“I live to serve the Noble house of Black and since Master Sirius blood adopted you this summer I live to serve you now.”

Harry nodded, “will you trust me to give the letter to Severus?”

The old elf nodded and past the letter to Harry before he charmed himself invisible. Harry could smell that the elf had hidden himself was behind a curtain down the hall about twenty feet and so he tucked the letter away and relaxed back against the wall once more. He was not surprised when Dumbledore arrived a few minutes later. 

“Ah Harry my boy, let’s head up and wait inside shall we.”

“No sir, I will wait down here.”

“Harry, there is no reason to do that. Severus and Minerva will be here really soon.”

“I don’t think so sir. I know what the first night is like they will be a while and I do not appreciate being lied to. You should have realized that by now.”  
Dumbledore studied Harry silently and then frowned, “Since we are on the topic of lies. When did Sirius preform a blood adoption ritual on you? I was shocked when I went over your records this summer to see you were officially on the Black family tree.”

Harry lied easily with the story that they had prepared. “We did it over Yule fifth year. Everyone was busy cleaning Grimaulde Place or fussing over Arthur that is was easy for us to slip away for a few hours to complete the ritual.” Harry did his best to fake sadness as he talked about Sirius’s will. “That was why I thought it was useless when you had me test Kreacher after Sirius died. I was a blood relative so of course the will would stand.”

“Oh, well you could have just told me that Harry. It would have simplified things.” 

Dumbledore stepped closer to him and reached up to touch Harry’s arm. Harry went to shove his hand off but Dumbledore moved faster than he could track. His sleeve was shoved up and a silver chain was wrapped about Harry’s bare forearm twice. 

Harry cried out and at the burning but he didn’t let himself collapse. He fought to get the chain off his skin. Harry gasped as he heard Kreacher yell, “Release My Young Master now!”

Harry looked to Kreacher, “No Run!” He ordered but his words were over powered by Dumbledore killing curse. The sick green light shot from his wand and hit Kreacher head on. The old Elf fell dead a second later. 

“Now that we have no more spies,” Dumbledore leered at Harry and he continued to struggle. Dumbledore searched Harry’s robes for his wand and threw it harmlessly down the hall. “I will am going to relieve you of your memories from your birthday but first I need to know what you saw at Malfoy Manor this summer.” Harry looked defiantly at the Dumbledore and almost grinned through his pain as he realized what Dumbledore was going to do. Harry solidified his Occlumency blocks as Dumbledore pointed his wand at him and hissed, “Legilimens.”

Dumbledore’s magic was the strongest he had faced with the exception of Tom’s. Harry had to focus on keeping Dumbledore out but he knew the longer he held out the better his chances were that Severus or Professor McGonagall would arrive. Dumbledore became so focused on getting into Harry’s mind that he did not notice when anyone else arrived in the hall. 

The Bloody Barron and Peeves approached the office but the moment the Barron saw what Dumbledore was doing he turned to Peeves. “Go get Severus, then get the Deputy Headmistress, wait for me in the Slytherin Dorms I want your memories of this untouched.” Peeves shot off at like a rocket and then the Barron turned on the headmaster. “No one attacks one of my students.” 

The Bloody Barron had never in all his years attempted to possess someone but in that moment he did. The possession failed but Dumbledore was startled enough for Harry to get his arm loose. Dumbledore turned his wand back on Harry before the boy could stumble away or pull his own wand. Harry could do wandless magic but he was not an expert at it and Tom had specifically told him to hide it for as long as possible.  
The Barron floated between Harry and the Headmaster and glared at the older man. “What do you think you are doing? The boy may not have been one of mine for long but he is now. I will not stand by and let you harm him.”

Dumbledore grinned, “But we both know that there are very few spells a ghost can actually block.” 

The Barron shifted back towards Harry some more as he attempted to cover as much of him as possible. Harry reached for the Barron’s back. “I don’t think he will actually hurt me.”

“Your forearm and neck beg to differ, Boy. You should erect a shield.”

“I was told not to use Wandless magic in front of him. It reveals too much.”

The Barron had opened his mouth to retort but Dumbledore hissed out a curse that made both Harry and the Barron gasp. “Ossis Effergo.” The jet of dark blue light flew out and hit Harry’s calf instantly shattering his Tibia. Harry fell out from behind the Barron as his broken leg could no longer hold his weight. Dumbledore grinned in triumph, “Obliviate.”  
Harry groaned as the spell hit him but his memories do not leave his mind. Instead he cringed as the snake earring that pierced his earlobe and the curled in a cuff around his left ear burned extremely hot as it countered the charm. 

The Barron drop down in front of Harry with a scowl set on his ghostly face, “Apparently the Headmaster forgets that Memory Charms will erase random memories from a ghost not the one you intend so it will be useless on me.” He turned to check on his young charge and his eyes widened at the hot metal in his ear. The Barron did something and the metal cooled which was a relief for Harry as he had thought his ear would turn to ash if it continued for much longer. The Barron smirked as he whispered, “I haven’t seen that earing in years since another young parselmouth lived I my house. Was it a gift?”

Harry nodded almost imperceptibly as Dumbledore stalked towards them. Harry weighted his options of fighting or playing along but the choice wastaken away from him at voices down the hall. 

“Albus, what is going on here?”

“I think the Dark Lord tried to possess him again. He fell over in a fit.”

“So why is it that the Barron is comforting him and not you?” Severus asked his eye scanned the hall and landed Harry’s wand a few feet in front of him and on Kreacher’s dead body beyond them all. “And what happened to Harry’s elf?” 

“In his possessed state Harry killed him I could not stop him.” Dumbledore turned to Harry and smiled, “Harry if you are feeling alright we should probably head up to my office so we can talk about what you just saw from the Dark Lord.”

“You are daft?” the Barron scowled and the torches in the hall flickered under his rage, “the boy needs the hospital wing, not an inquisition!”

“He is right, Albus,” Professor McGonagall came forward and touched Harry’s shoulder. “Harry, can you walk?”

“Yes if someone braces me. My leg really hurts, Professor.” Harry went to stand but looked up surprised as Severus bent to pull him up into his arm. Harry could see the worry in his eyes but he smiled at him to let him know that he still remembered everything.

Severus scowled back, “What are you smirking at Potter?”

“I feel lighter, Professor.” Harry lied as he checked whether Dumbledore had a line of sight on him. When he saw he did not, Harry looked at Professor McGonagall’s worried face. Harry gave her a small smile too and trusted her. He quietly slipped the letter from his robes and passed it to Severus. The Potions Master noted the seal and motion for Harry to tuck it in his own robe pocket. Harry did so just before Severus helped him test his leg. Harry gasped against the pain but before he could react any further Severus scooped him up into his arms. 

Harry was startled because he had not expected the Potions Master to be that strong but he relaxed easily in Severus’s arms when he was certain the man could hold him. The Potions Master was no longer the man who hated him when he was eleven years old. His love for Remus had changed him. Because of his love for Remus, he could see that Remus loved both Sirius and Harry and Severus accepted that. He may not love them but he care for them at the very least. 

Harry wrapped his arms around Severus’s neck but he refused to cuddle the man so he rested his head against his own arm. The Barron cleared his throat to get the wide-eyed Deputy Headmistress moving. She had equally stunned by Severus’s concern and Harry’s trust. She turned from the sight of them and moved ahead of them in the direction of the infirmary. Before Severus followed Harry summoned his want up to his hand. The simple spell made both the Barron and Severus snort in amusement when Dumbledore’s eyes narrowed at him. At Harry’s age such displays were not considered to be fits Accidental magic but recognized for what they truly are, Wandless magic. That was enough but Harry had cast if Wandlessly, silently, and without even looking at the object he wanted. That was a clear display of power over that of which Dumbledore had never mastered. 

Severus did not stick around for the Headmaster to question them. The Barron position himself at Severus’s back in defense. At first Dumbledore followed but he stopped after a few steps as he realized that Harry had not been able to cast like that last year so it had to have been a summer development. Since he still knew how to do it the headmaster realized his memory charm had failed. 

The scraping sound of the gargoyle made it clear that they were safe. Harry relaxed for the moment and he felt his forehead connect with Severus’s shoulder. He expected Severus to complain or maybe even drop him so he tried to lift his head back up again. Severus tilted him in his arms so that Harry’s head fell back against Severus’s shoulder.

“Go ahead and rest Harry. Your leg looks really messed up and I know how good you are at hiding your pain. I promise I will look after you.” Harry nodded and let himself drift in the sea of pain his leg was creating.


	2. Caring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I in no shape, form, or fashion own any of the characters from Harry Potter this fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes.
> 
> I have No Beta so I am sorry for and grammatical or spelling errors.  
> Bold Italics = Parseltongue  
> Italics = Mental Conversations, Thoughts, or Memories

### Chapter 2: Caring

Tom had to force himself out of his quarters by that evening for some human interaction despite his lingering discomfort. He decided that if he would be forced to endure the company of others it would only be in the presence of those who were shifters or were mated to shifters so that they would understand his atypical mood. He choose to be with Narcissa, Rodolphus, and a few others in his inner circle. 

Narcissa in particular was the one he was looking to see. She was a mated submissive snake shifter the same as him so she was most familiar with his plight. She as it turned out had a plan to distract him by sharing the joys of mothering with him. Tom was interested in the rearing of younglings now where he hadn’t before because he had his mate now so his instincts were urging him to consider children. 

Narcissa had been hunting her son all day and had finally managed to track him down. So she put him through his paces in attempt to draw out his full shifted form while Tom watched closely. Unfortunately Draco turned into a bundle of nerves when Tom joined them, but it only took one stinging hex from his mother to put him back on track. 

Tom snickered, “Interesting motivation methods, Narcissa.” 

“Only way to get through to him now.” She tsked, “He turned Dominant with his inheritance and isn’t responding to anything but force.” 

“Harry isn’t reacting that way and he turned Dominant too.” 

“It is all posturing, My Lord.” Narcissa set Draco to a thirty minute meditation session and then turned her attention to Tom. “Draco is acting out testing how far he can go. He is checking which dominants will let him get away with things and which he needs to concede too. Harry doesn’t need to do that and you know why.” 

Tom nodded, “Because whether he wants to admit it or not; he did not just inherit as a dominant. He is an Alpha the strongest of the shifters.” 

“As your true mate, really he could not be anything less than that.” Narcissa smiled but she saw that Tom was a bit worried so she touched his arm gently. “When Harry takes his place it will cause the Dark Order to split in loyalty for a time. The Shifters will subconsciously yield to the Alpha so they will remain faithful. It is the human parts of the Order won’t follow him at first, but eventually they will accept him once he stops fighting his new role and they see his true strength.” 

“I don’t know that he will ever stop fighting it, Narcissa. He has confessed to me that all he ever wanted was to be was Harry, just Harry. Not the boy who lived or the saviour. Why would he ever take on the mantle of Alpha?” 

“That is because it speaks to a deep part of his personality. Lord Harry is called the Saviour because he has an almost unnatural instinct to protect people. It is an Alpha’s job to protect and look after their pack, clan, or coven. He will realize this on his own, My Lord. Just give him time. This is all new to him and he needs to think about these things.” 

Tom nodded as he glanced up at the clock. The feast should have concluded by that point so and Harry would be making his way back to the Slytherin dorm if everything went well. A commotion from the hall distracted his thoughts. He stood up without drawing his wand because he knew none but the inner circle could get this far into the Manor. 

He refused to show his personal anxiousness as Remus and Sirius came through the doors of the sitting room because it would not help the already tense situation. The inner circle did not recognize Sirius as a Death Eater since he only joined the order so he could be closer to Remus. Add in the fact that most of the general Death Eaters did not trust him to guard their backs so he had not been able to prove himself in the field yet and it looked like Sirius would be suck as a neophyte of the Dark Order for a long time. 

Remus on the other hand was a great asset to their side. He not only was trusted by Dumbledore so he made a useful spy, but his presence also mellow Fenrir since the werewolf alpha had been the one to turn him. The Death Eaters trusted his intentions because he had been one of theirs for a number of years now. He was also trusted as Severus’ partner. However the faith of the inner circle in him had been shaken when Remus had brought Harry unannounced into Malfoy Manor the day of his inheritance. Granted it had turned out to be the right course of action but it could have gone horribly wrong. As such he was still on uneasy terms with most of the inner circle. 

They both knelt and waited for him to acknowledge them as any proper Death Eater would. However Tom motioned for them to rise almost immediately to get this meeting over with quicker. 

Remus shooed Sirius over to bother Narcissa in order to keep him away from the inner circle. Sirius resisted and was motioning about rather erratically as he spoke in low tones to Remus. Narcissa rolled her eyes and move over to distract her cousin with practiced ease. Remus moved away from everyone else so he could speak with to Tom privately. 

“My Lord, I wanted to check in with you about my task. The plan is in motion and I will be meeting with Severus around midnight. Did you have anything other messages or items for me to pass along to either Severus or Harry?” 

Tom relaxed a degree since Remus was not there to report something had happened to his mate. He wondered if this was normal because his instincts were still on edge like there was danger in the air. He shrugged them off and focused on Remus. “I have nothing for Severus at the moment except for him to lay low. Dumbledore is not pleases with his role in pulling Draco out of school last year. We need to be sure Severus is trusted again before he makes any moves for us.” 

“Of course, My Lord.” 

“Rodolphus told you what I need you to convey to Harry though?” 

“He did.” Remus affirmed. “I did mention something similar to his before school started but I think he will listen more if it comes from you. I will do my best to pass it along … However…” Remus looked over at his agitated true mate. “Sirius has acting strange ever since Kreacher, his house elf, left this evening to deliver my message to Severus. He even tried to call the old elf back a few times. The elf hasn’t responded. I am concerned something is preventing him from returning.” 

Tom felt the tension return at this revelation, “House elves do not ignore their master’s calls. Do you think your meeting is compromised?” 

“I do not know, My Lord. I plan to act under the assumption that it is, especially if I do not receive a confirmation in the next thirty minutes from Severus.” Tom nodded his approval but Remus glanced back at Sirius. “The main problem is that Sirius is of the mind that he will be accompanying me. That could result in a disaster for us all.” 

“Yes, the “Old Goat” as Harry calls him cannot know Sirius is alive. He knows that Sirius is your true mate and therefore it would put your relationship with Severus into question. The three of you would be found out and you would have no place to hide. Your entire lives would be under scrutiny.” 

Remus grumbled, “Not to mention the fact that they would want to know how Sirius survived that killing curse in the ministry two years ago. Sirius put Harry through that a lot of pain by faking his death the way he did. I will not let him bungle it up this early in the game.” Remus scowled as some he remembered Harry’s sorrow during the last year. 

Tom looked over at Sirius, “Dumbledore is a bigoted old fool. He understands homosexuality fine but a triad he will never understand or accept that.” 

Remus’ eye showed his misery, “He never believed that Sirius’s kneejerk rejection of our bond would affect me as much as it did. My life was a dark hole that was so absolute that death would have been welcome over the continuation of my existence. I owe my life to Severus because he pulled me out of the darkness. I owe it to you for allowing me to take a place by his side within your order. Then I owe you my life again over for allowing Sirius, a man who always fought against you time and again, to come back into my life. It is only by your tolerance that this strange triangle relationship that the three of us have is able to work. I never thanked you for any of that.” 

Tom found himself a little surprised at Remus’ sudden admissions. The Werewolf would never have said such things in the past. Most likely that was because Lord Voldemort would likely have put him under the Cruciatus Curse for such a vulnerable display of emotions. Harry had changed him already. He sympathized with Remus because he now had a Dominant mate of his own and he could almost imagine just how devastated he would have been if Harry had rejected their bond. Tom checked that none of the others were looking in their direction and then he lightly brushed Remus’s upper arm. The submissive w erewolf gave him a small smile. 

Tom straightened up in his Lord posture and led Remus back toward the group, “A few months ago you know I would have punished you for such sentiments. Harry has changed a great many things without even meaning to.” 

Remus smiled, “I am glad he has. I don’t think I could let my pup be in a relationship with Lord Voldemort as you had been.” 

Tom cuffed Remus on the back of the head and hissed, “Like you could stand between our mating, Werewolf?” 

Remus look at Tom seriously, “If I believed you were a danger to Harry still I would laid down my life to keep him from you. But a mating bond is truly an inspiring thing. It has awaked your humanity once more.” 

Tom scowled, “Something I long since thought was dead.” The inner circle chuckled, but fell silent when he turned his eyes on them. “Black, you will remain here in the manor while Remus attends his meeting with Severus.” 

Sirius let out a harsh breath and dropped to his knees, “Please My Lord, I beg you to let me go with him. I fear strange like the bond with my house elf has been severed. That would only happen if he is dead. Remus may not be safe if someone else intercepted his note.” 

“Silence Black! Remus has told me your concerns and while they are valid, you will not go with him.” 

Rodolphus rolled to his feet, “Sirius, it is imperative for both Remus and Severus’s safety that you remain dead. If this meeting is compromised and you are discovered you will not only mark them both as traitors but you will make all the pain you put Harry through meaningless. I realize the mating bond is eating at you for letting Remus go alone into a potentially dangerous situation but you have to ignore it. You should be used to doing that. After all you ignored your mating bond for nineteen years, didn’t you?” 

Sirius growled at Rodolphus but Remus came to his side. “Enough Sirius, you know he didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. 

“Yes I know. I hurt you for nineteen years. I accept that and I know you will never love me like you could have because your heart is now owned by Severus. But they don’t need bring up their opinions on the matter every time I am in their presence.” 

Fenrir growled, “Know your place. We speak because we are more familiar with the pain you have wrought. You are lucky, little man, that you are still bound to my Remus or I would gladly strip your flesh from your bones.” 

Remus groaned, “Fenrir must you threaten him.” 

The Alpha Wolf chuckled darkly, “Yes I must.” 

Sirius fumed at the group but eventually acknowledge the command with a stiff nod. Remus gave Sirius a lingering kiss before he bowed to Tom and headed out. Rodolphus and Lucius pulled Sirius from the room. 

Lucius grinned as he taunted his cousin-in-law, “Come along Sirius, the best way to deal with the mess your instincts are causing in your mind is to take out your frustration in a duel. I know you have been dying to cross wand with us, so consider this our gift to you.” 

Sirius gained a glimmer of fire in his eyes as he shook himself he followed the two top Death Eaters like he was a kid and they were taking him to a candy store. Tom felt a headache coming on as he watched them go. To distract himself from his own instincts he sat back down with Rabastan, Fenrir and Antonin Dolohov to discuss their plans for the next two raids. 

\-----

Harry had woken up when Madame Pomfery had started to examine his leg but she had been prepared for that and demanded that he drink a sleeping potion. Harry instinctively resisted the demand but Severus urged him to take the potion and promised it would help so Harry finally took it. It was a strong batch so he was back asleep in no time. 

Severus frowned at Poppy, “I managed to calm him this time Poppy, but you are going to have to think of some other way of handling Harry from now on. He is an Alpha not just a Dominant. They do not tolerate commands well.” 

Poppy looked startled, “Albus never informed me that he is an alpha. I am supposed to be told whenever and Alpha is present in the school.” She frowned, “although let up to Albus I probably would not even know he is a shifter. You were the only one to inform me of that fact.” 

She went back to examining Harry’s leg only once she was certain he was well and truly asleep. McGonagall and Severus could do nothing but watch in dismay as her spells showed the severity of the injury.

“Minerva this was no simple fall. His tibia is shattered. He was hit with a Bone Breaking Curse.” 

Severus growled before McGonagall could respond, “You are certain?” 

The Barron floated up to Severus, “I can confirm it. I was there after all and the Headmaster failed to remember that it is not so easy to Obliviate a ghost. He killed the boy’s house elf and then he attacked the boy. There was no possession by the Dark Lord involved in this.” 

McGonagall shook her head, “Why would Albus attack Harry.” 

“Because, the Headmaster he is trying desperately to keep control of his little soldier who has suddenly shot up into an Alpha shifter with his inheritance.” Severus watched Poppy’s movement like a hawk. “Harry was barely tolerant of him before this incident occurred. Now I can guarantee he will no longer bend to Albus’ will. If the Headmaster so much as brushes Harry in the hall he will lash out violently from now on.” 

McGonagall looked at Severus and asked, “Why do you care Severus. You have never even tolerated the boy in the past.” 

Severus sighed heavily, “Because to Remus Harry is his pup. I love Remus so I will do what I can to protect him and what he claims to be his. Poppy can’t you do something about his leg?” 

She shook her head sadly “I am only a mediwitch, Severus, I am not trained to deal with Dark hexes of this magnitude.” 

The Barron swooped around and got in her face. “So full of excuses, Madame, if you can’t treat his leg at least pull up his sleeve and examine the wounds there. He has silver burns that need to be treated before they scar.” 

Madame Pomfery was startled by the Barron’s intrusion but she did as he suggested. She carefully undid Harry’s robes and took off his shirt. Both McGonagall and Pomfery whimpered at the sight of the old scars on his neck and the fresh angry burns on his forearm and wrist. Severus watched as she went to get the anti-Silver salve he had made sure she had stocked this term. When he was satisfied she had grabbed the right formula Severus let her do her work

Severus stepped aside and opened Remus’ letter. Remus had wrote to him in a coded message so Severus translated the message in his head. The Dark Lord had a concern about Harry health and was using the pair of them to get the message to him. Remus wanted to meet with him at midnight in the shrieking shack. 

Severus tucked the letter away as he looked at the clock, “Dobby.” 

The small house elf popped up beside Severus, “Yes professor Snapy.” 

Severus scowled at the elf, who whimpered slightly but did not leave. “You are loyal to Harry before Dumbledore yes?” He indicated Harry in the hospital bed. 

Dobby went even wider eyed, “What happened to Harry Potter? Who would do something so terrible?” 

“Dobby, Yes or no?” 

“Yes sir, I is loyal to Harry Potter before the Headmaster.” 

“I need to take Harry to St. Mungo’s. I need you to go to the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade. Remus Lupin who is Harry’s legal guardian will be there waiting for me in fifteen minutes. I need you to tell him and only him where I am taking Harry. Tell him Dumbledore injured him but it is not life threatening.” 

“I can do, Professor. You will watch over, Harry Potter?” 

“You have my word.” Dobby nodded and popped away again. 

Severus turned back to the women and modified their memories. By the time he was done they believed that Harry had walked out of the Hospital wing with Professor Snape on the way towards the dungeons. He felt a little bit of guilt over the act but he had to keep Harry safe. 

Severus took into his arms and used the foo in Madame Pomfery’s office to travel to St. Mungo’s. He paused in the corridor to cast a strong disillusionment charm on Harry’s scar and then checked Harry in under the same assumed name they had used after his inheritance that summer. Severus used his position as head of house to act as his guardian until his actual guardian arrived. 

The healer was appalled at the damage done to Harry’s leg but agree that a mere mediwitch was far too unskilled for the task of healing it. The healer wanted to contact the Aurors straight away but Severus reminded him that Harry was an adult and there for it would be up to him to press charges. He did ask for extensive documentation since he knew that even if Harry did not press charges The Dark Lord would eventually see Albus pay for all the attacks Harry had suffered. 

Severus flashed enough coins to get Harry was moved into a private suite in the spell damage ward. He then signed the release forms for the Healer to remove all pieces of the bone and grow a new on instead of messing with it. They removed the bone and waited for the remaining sleeping Potion to wear off so that they could at least inform the boy before he woke up in extreme amounts of pain. 

\-----

Remus shook off his old memories as he slipped into the Shrieking Shack cautiously. He half expected Dumbledore and a squad of aurors but what greeted him was a lithe little house elf. Remus kept his wand out and asked, “I know you, do I not?” 

“Dobby sir, Dobby the house Elf. I is being loyal to Harry Potter, sir.” 

Remus relaxed because although he had not interacted with the elf much the year he had taught at Hogwarts, Harry had spoken of Dobby often enough to know that the little creature was telling the truth. “Did Harry send you?” 

“No sir, Professor Snape sent me to meet Mister Lupin.” 

“I am Remus Lupin as you know. Tell me why did Severus sent you?” 

“Professor Snape, couldn’t meet you, Sir. He had to take Harry Potter to St. Mungo’s.” 

Lupin’s blood ran cold, “Why?” 

“Professor Snape said his injuries were not life threatening but he was taking him there to protect him. He told me to tell you and only you about this.” 

“Do you know how he was hurt?” 

“Not fully sir, but the elves are scare. One of our kind was killed in the castle tonight and then Professor Snape says young Harry is attacked by the Headmaster. Rumour also says that the Bloody Barron tried to possess someone tonight as well. Nothing is as it should be Mister Lupin.” 

Remus nodded, “Thank you Dobby. Please tell no one what has happened to Harry.” 

“I will do as you ask, Mister Lupin.” Dobby dipped his head before he popped back away. 

Remus walked over to the boarded up window and he felt his wolf rise. He knew his weyes were glowing amber as he glared through a gap in the wood in the direction of the castle. “You will pay for this Dumbledore.” 

Remus apparated back to Malfoy Manor and barely let the guards at the gate take note that he was one of their people before he stormed through the gate. He marched up the front steps and anyone milling about gave him a wide berth. He found everyone in the same sitting room he had left them in but Sirius, Lucius, and Rodolphus were now sporting some bruises and scrapes. 

Sirius jumped up from his seat. “You are back.” He rushed forward to greet Remus but the glow in Remus’s eyes made him hesitated. 

Remus looked to Tom first, “Dumbledore injured Harry. Severus has taken him to St. Mungo’s.” 

Tom was off his seat in a split second and Tom Riddle was lost to Lord Voldemort. Rodolphus caught his arm, “We must Plan first my Lord. You need a disguise. You can’t waltz into St. Mungo’s as you are.” 

“I will get a disguise after I have murder that old fool.” 

“Think My Lord, don’t lose yourself to the rage. You cannot get to the old fool at the moment trying will only get you killed. Your priority needs to be Harry and for that you need a disguise.” 

Narcissa came to Tom and offered her support which he surprised everyone by taking. She hissed softly in a parseltongue, _**“Come, My Lord, you need to change.”**_

When Narcissa had gotten Tom away the others turned to Remus. Rabastan asked softly so his voice would not carry into the hall, “What happened?” 

Remus shook his head, “What little I could get from Dobby was that a House Elf had been killed in the castle, Harry was attacked by the Headmaster. Rumour also says that the Bloody Barron tried to possess someone but who knows what that was about.” 

Lucius frowned, “If Harry was resorted into Slytherin and the Baron saw Dumbledore attack him he might have attempted to possess Dumbledore in order to protect Harry. The Barron is very protective of his snakes even new ones.” 

Sirius asked Remus firmly, “How bad was he hurt?” 

“Severus gave Dobby the message that his injuries were not life threatening but Our Lord will not care about that.” 

“You are right about that,” Tom’s constricted voice drifted to them from tall blonde haired blue eyes Adonis. “Black, I realize he is your adopted son but you still can’t be seen.” Sirius sat back down and looked to be a perfect picture of misery but Tom came to him and passed him a flask. “Polyjuice Black be diligent about your dosage but be sure it is out of sight of the healers.” 

Sirius jumped up and grabbed the flask from Tom. He did not even ask who he would be turning into before he drank the first mouthful of the noxious potion. He tucked the flask into his robes and waited for the change to happen. Several agonizing moments later Sirius’s slim form filled out his robes had to be resized to fit his new bulkier body. His slicked back dark hair had become chestnut and slightly curly. The beard on his face grew thicker and hung down several inches off his chin. 

Remus came over and tugged on the beard, “Let’s go love. Harry is waiting and Tom is impatient.” 

\-----

At the hospital they were pleased when Remus’s initial hunch that Severus would use the alias appeared to be right and that Severus had put Remus on the approved list of visitors with a plus two option. They had just arrived as Harry downed his first batch of Skele-gro. 

He managed not to choke on it but the nurse derisively said, “We will see how many batches that lasts for.” 

When she went to leave, Tom attempted to grab her for daring to insult his mate. Harry hissed at him in warning and Tom dropped hands before they ever came close to touching her. He shrank back from the nurse and tilted his head in submission. 

Harry’s healer looked between his patient and the newly arrived man. “I see mates. You can’t have been together long since you are just past your inheritance if I am not mistaken.” 

Harry nodded and held out his hand to Tom. The Dark Lord moved forward but did not look up to meet Harry’s eyes. Instead his own eyes narrowed at the paste covered silver burns on his forearm and his bound leg. 

Harry hissed sharply which made Tom snap his head up. “Come here.” 

Tom lunged forward and took Harry’s uninjured hand in his. He bite back the gasp that well up in him as a wave of relief washed over him. He nuzzled Harry’s hand and relished the skin to skin contact with his mate. Harry sighed contently as he settled down in the bed hospital bed more easily as he stroked his thumb over Tom skin. 

The Healer looked pleased at how Harry’s vitals responded to Tom’s touch. “That explains those erratic stress levels I have been seeing. You are doing well now. You said you have had Skele-gro before so I suspect you are familiar with the pain. Try to sleep if you can.” He made a few final notes in Harry’s file and then nodded to him. “I will be back to check on you later.” 

Harry grimaced as the first wave of pain hit him but he managed to thank the Healer before he left the room. Once the door was shut Tom threw to the strongest privacy spell he knew around Harry’s bed and ducked down to sniff him. 

Harry chuckle, “that is my job; I am supposed to be sniffing you for injuries.” Harry pulled Tom up by his chin so he could sniff Tom’s head. 

“You are the one in the hospital bed. What is hurt?” 

“I am used to the silver pain by now and I have had Skele-gro before. Other than that I just have a minor heat burn in my earlobe from your earring burning me.” 

Tom licked the burned earlobe gently and Harry groaned because the act caused equal parts pleasure and pain to course through his body. Tom looked at Harry seriously, “He tried to Obliviate you?” 

“Not at first. He tried to use Legilimency on me first but thanks to you and Severus my shield could withstand him. The Barron tried to possess Dumbledore in order to protect me but it didn’t work. So instead The Barron tried to hide me behind him. Dumbledore knew he couldn’t pry any information about you from my mind so he sent a Bone Breaking curse through The Barron at my leg. When fell down he then tried to obliviate us both.” 

Tom nodded as he checked that Harry had moved the snake earing into his other ear. He nuzzled the burned ear affectionately and smiled when Harry groaned again. “I rather you be burned then forget us. What else has happened because I have been feeling on edge all evening?” 

Harry expanded Tom’s privacy bubble to include Severus, Remus, and Sirius and then he explained highlights of that evening from punching Ron up until he passed out in Severus’s arms for the others benefit. 

Remus and Sirius approached when Tom relaxed enough to let them touch Harry. Once the parents had assured themselves he was alright they retreated to the corner of the room with Severus. Remus crawled into Severus’s lap and laid his head on Severus’ shoulder. Sirius sat beside them and watched the pair of them. Severus was more affectionate than normal but it was still only minor skin to skin contact. 

Harry watch three of them out of the corner of his eyes. Sirius shifted a fraction closer and set his hand on Remus’s knee. Remus looked at Sirius’s hand and then up at Severus. The Potions Master nodded in agreement to Remus’ silent question. Remus kissed Severus’ throat and then took Sirius’ hand in his. Sirius let out a soft sigh and relaxed in the chair beside the couple. 

Harry watched the three of them for a little bit longer but eventually he shook his head. “I don’t get their relationship but if it makes them happy then I am happy for them.” 

“You need to ask your father what he did. The crux of the matter is that Sirius hurt Remus for a very long time and Severus was there to heal that pain.” Tom held Harry tighter as a he groaned through another wave of pain. 

Harry broke into a chuckled after it had passed, “It hurts but it is a lot less painful the both bones in my forearm.” 

Tom gave a small smiled, “I am glad to hear that it is not unbearable. I was worried about you.” 

“Don’t be. I am alright. I promise,” Harry patted the bed, “Join me.” 

Tom enlarged the hospital bed and stretched out on the side opposite the monitoring bobbles that the Healers had left behind. That meant he was by Harry’s injured arm but Harry seemed not to notice the burns anymore. He moved it around easily and even tucked it around Tom so he could lay on Harry’s shoulder. 

“A knut for your thoughts my mate?” Harry murmured. 

Tom grumbled as he snuggled closer, “You would be overpaying.” 

“Let me guess you are remembering the last time we were in this hospital.” 

Tom nodded as the memories came of healers inspecting his burned and swollen throat the day after his inheritance, “That was worse because the swelling had almost made it so you couldn’t breathe.” 

“I sort of remember,” Harry murmured as he leaned down to kiss the top of Tom’s head. Tom breathed in Harry’s sent and scowled at the sterile smell of the hospital. Harry stroked his fingers through Tom’s hair. I can’t remember much from that night after Sirius, Remus, and Charlie rescued me from The Burrow. Tell me about that.” 

“You are supposed to be resting.” 

“I am resting but I won’t sleep with this potion so can you just talk to me.” 

Tom felt his cheeks warm slight. Of course Harry would ask him to talk about the time he was barely conscious. It was logical but that did not mean it would be pleasant for him. Tom sighed, he knew he would have to tell Harry about this eventually but he had hoped it wouldn’t be until after they were fully mated. 

\-----

_Malfoy Manor was a chaotic mess preceding what was to be one of their Dark Orders most decisive moves so far. They had been planning this strike on the Ministry for the past three month. Everything had final fallen into place. The plan was simple and effective. Using their hidden member and supporters they schedule things so that most of the legitimate Ministry workers would not be present. If all went according to plan they would be able to clean the ministry out of all the corrupt workers and useless politicians._

_Lord Voldemort had just finished addressing the Death Eaters when Lucius came up on his left. The Death Eaters had their assignments so Tom sent them out ahead of him. Lucius bowed swiftly when Tom had turned to him._

_“This had better be important Lucius. You know my patience with you has grown thin as of late.”_

_“My Lord, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black have returned to the receiving room. They have brought the Potter Boy with them.”_

_Tom stared at Lucius, “You must be mistake.”_

_“No my Lord, I would know that boy anywhere. It is him. Rodolphus, Narcissa, my son and a handful of others have them at wand point.”_

_Tom waved his hand to where the Death Eaters had been standing. “Take Rabastan and back up the raid on the ministry. If anything this is a plot from Dumbledore to distract us and I will not let that happen.”_

_“Of course My Lord,” Lucius sent off a Patronus messenger to Rabastan and then he headed off to get his cloak and mask._

_Tom narrowed his eyes at Lucius’s back. The elder Malfoy was a fool. His son despite the fact he acts a spoiled brat was worth more to the cause then Lucius had been as of late. If the man was not Narcissa’s mate he would have cut him loose ages ago._

_Tom headed for the receiving room and met Rabastan along the way. Tom pointed at the younger brother’s chest, “I expect you to make certain Lucius doesn’t bugger it.”_

_“Yes My Lord, I will watch him with both eyes.”_

_“Good, now to take care of Dumbledore’s Distraction.”_

_“Dumbledore did not send the boy; he is injured.”_

_“You believe this?”_

_“The scent of his pain is palatable in the air, My Lord. Black is asking Narcissa for sanctuary through their shared blood.”_

_“What shared blood?”_

_“Potter’s Grandmother Doreen was a Black.”_

_Tom cursed under his breathe, “Damn that is close enough a blood relation for Narcissa to be obliged to meet the request for Sanctuary.” Tom had to sort this out or his inner circle was going to be torn to shreds. He move passed Rabastan without another word and entered the Receiving room._

_There were six inner circle Death Eaters in the room besides Rodolophus. Draco was the only general Death Eater present but he was at his uncle’s side and was following his lead. Narcissa was only a supporter so Tom could not fault her for the fact that she had lowered her wand and approached the boy in Black’s arms._

_Tom made sure to breathe through his mouth at first so that the boy scent would not distract him. Even from a distance he could see the deep burns on the boy’s throat. Silver made a very distinct burn on a shifter’s skin. So unlike the great oaf Black the boy had come into the Shifter blood of the Black Family. Tom noted the placement of the burns and the fact that despite Black attempt at covering it was clear the boy was without clothes._

_Tom sneered as rage on behalf of the boy coursed through him despite the fact this boy was his enemy. When Tom had come into his shifter inheritance Dumbledore had tried to convince Headmaster Dippet to use an Archaic Ritual to “Tame” him as well. Luckily some of the other Slytherins had creature blood and had intervened on his behalf. It appeared that the Boy-who-lived had not been as lucky. That ritual was rarely seen in polite society anymore for a couple of reasons. The first being of course that if the shifter was even slightly against it then the ritual boiled down to rape._

_The second reason was that the potion used in the ritual had a multiplicative effect on the fertility of the shifter. When the ritual was prevalent the rate of children born out of wedlock was significantly higher. Many of those children had to grow up with no names or money because the pureblood families would not acknowledge them._

_Tom was drawn out of his thoughts by Potter’s movement. The continual arguments from the Death Eater finally became too much for the injured boy and he curled his body closer to his godfather seeking comfort. He let out a small whimper at the effort._

_The sound was like a knife to Tom’s gut and he gasped for air. He breathed in through his mouth and nose at once. The scent of pain was strong but not enough to overpower Potter’s true scent. Tom clenched his teeth and hissed loud enough that every single person in that room froze._

_Black tensed in fear of him but Lupin stepped up beside him and squeezed his mate’s arm. Tom ignored Lupin’s whispers to his mate as he starred down at the boy in Black’s arms._

_No, No, No, NO! This was not happening. Tom smelled the air again hoping he was wrong but the cinnamon scent that clung to the boy anchored him. Tom hissed again as he turned form the boy._

_Lady Morgana, why do you hate me so! Tom clenched his fists so tightly he was surprise his nails didn’t cut his palms._

_Tom turned back to the boy. He had to face this mockery that Fate had gifted him at some point so he supposed he should do it now. He approached their group slowly so that Black wouldn’t bolt like a frighten dog. Despite Potter’s injured throat the boy twisted is neck so he could scent the air. The boy let out an experimental Dominant Call that had to have hurt his throat._

_The call washed over Tom like a soothing balm. He had never felt anything as heartening as his mate’s voice. Tom closed the distance between them when Potter cringed in pain but he held back from actually touching the boy, **“I am here, my mate. Don’t ssspeak anymore; it will only make the damage worssse.”**_

_Potter twisted in Black’s grip and made the Dominant Call again. Tom felt the desire to reach out for his mate but he stamped down those feeling. Narcissa who had not moved back when he approached hissed at him in Parseltongue, **“Ssswallow your blasssted pride and touch your mate. He needsss to know you are sssafe and well.”**_

_Tom scowled at her but when Potter wiggled more in Black’s arms. Tom reached for him. One hand caressed Potter’s head to sooth him while the other help Black lift the boy into a more stable grip. The last call Potter made was heated and demanded a response, so Tom made a soft submissive sound in return._

_Potter rolled away from Black and Tom immediately caught his mate in his arm. Tom gently lowered Potter to the floor once he had Harry because it was apparent why Black had had trouble holding him. Potter’s inheritance had cause the boy to shoot up in height. He was now at least six and a half feet tall and his body was covered in muscles from all the combat training Dumbledore had been putting him through._

_Black clenched his fist to hide the fact that he was trembling, “What are you doing?”_

_Narcissa shook her head, “Stop Sirius, Potter is his mate. He won’t hurt him.”_

_There was an uneasy murmur through the inner circle but only Severus spoke in response to the declaration. “And what of the Prophecy, My Lord.”_

_“Hang it,” Tom growled. “I will not kill my mate. How can the prophecy be real if Fate herself has deemed us to be together? Now get over here and help my mate.”_

_Severus nodded, “Remus beloved, Sirius needs a drink.”_

_Remus smiled fondly at his chosen lover while he tugged on his fated mate’s elbow. “Come Sirius, Severus will heal Harry.”_

_Sirius held his ground, “You want me to leave Harry alone with **Him?!** ” _

_Tom hissed any other death Eater would be under the cruciatus curse for such a comment. However Tom already felt the connecting through his mate. Black was Harry’s godfather and torturing him would only distress his mate further._

_Tom snapped at Black, “Hold your tongue! Best you not forget whose mark is on your arm?”_

_Sirius covered his left forearm where the dark mark was. He stiffly nodded. Tom silently signalled to Rodolphus who acknowledge the signal and followed Black and Lupin from the room._

_Potter reached up and wrapped his arms greedily around the Dark Lord’s neck and smelled him. Tom held back the contented sigh he wanted to release. With his mate so close he wanted to let down all of his barriers but he was the Dark Lord and he had to remain in control._

_Dolohov suggested the others should leave to monitor the ministry raid and then he sent Draco to go find Potter some clothes. When it was down to just himself, Severus, Narcissa, Tom, and Potter he smirked, “Fate certainly has a sense of humour, My Lord.”_

_“Meaning, Dolohov?”_

_“Just that Potter looks quite a bit like Matheus did.” Tom glared at Dolohov. He was one of his most loyal followers and had been with his since early in the first war. He knew many things that other Death Eater did not. Dolohov’s face softened, “Forgive me My Lord I will not mention him again.”_

_Tom curtly acknowledged the apology and focus back on his mate. It was true Potter did look strikingly similar to Matheus. He had been Tom’s first and only love in this life so far but he had died early in the first war._

_Severus had sent a pain potion directly into potter’s stomach since his throat was painfully swollen. As the potion eased his pain Harry began to wake up. Tom felt his chest tighten with anxiety as his mate fought to open his eyes. Those haunting emerald orbs blinked up at him._

_Tom kicked himself for daring to hope. He had killed his mate’s parents and had tried to kill him for years. He would never accept their bond. Tom steeled himself for rejection but Potter just stared at his face. One of those trembling hands reached up and cupped his cheek._

_Tom felt the hand reach through past his glamours. The hand ran over his cheek and up over his ear into his hair that only the inner circle ever got to see. Potter hissed possessively again. Tom relaxed and gave him a small smile. He tilted his neck to the side exposing it and Potter hissed became more approving._

_Severus finally snapped at him, “Stop hissing Potter, you are doing more damage to your throat.”_

_Narcissa shook her head, “He can’t help it. It is an involuntary response to being in the presence of his unclaimed mate. You are luck Potter is the dominant mate or you would be able to touch him.”_

_Tom ran his own fingers though Potter’s messy hair and sighed, “We are the toys of Fate, Potter.”_

_**“Harry,”** his eye promised retribution if he refused so Tom nodded. _

_“Harry, my mate.”_

_**“Yoursss. Mine.”** Harry agreed but when Severus tried to heal part of the burns a new wave of pain made him loose consciousness again. _

_Tom hissed at Severus and the potions master flinched. “I can’t heal him without hurting him, my Lord. The burns are causing his throat to swell he will soon have problems breathing. We need to take him to St. Mungo’s.”_

_Tom hesitant because he wouldn’t be allowed to stay at Harry’s side in St. Mungo’s but he knew they had no other options. A few minor glamours were put on Harry’s eyes and Scar to hide who he was and then they checked him into St. Mungo’s. Tom spent the night shifting between waiting rooms and patient suites while the Healers dealt with the injuries and the after effects of the ritual potions._

_It was close to two in the morning when the healer finally declared that there was nothing else they could do. He would have to heal the surface burns from the silver on his own but they had at least fixed the internal burns and the fragile bones in his neck that had been broken by the chain. The potions had been cleared from his system so when he woke up he wouldn’t be under any type of influences._

_Tom sat himself in a chair at least an arm’s length away from his bed so he wouldn’t be tempted to touch his mate. Dolohov was in the hall acting like a concerned friend but in truth he was standing guard in case Dumbledore or any of his order flunkies figure out where Harry was. They stayed like that for the rest of the night until Harry awoke just after dawn._

\-----

Tom sighed from his beside Harry. “Sorry I reacted so poorly.” 

Harry shook his head, “I remember throwing my own rant a few days later when my instincts settle. I am almost certain I broke several of your vases.” 

Tom laughed, “Not mine, we were in Lucius’ office when you stormed in.” 

“Oh … I thought it was yours because you were behind the desk.” 

Tom chuckled, “it doesn’t matter because even though Lucius won’t admit it but he was secretly pleased you lost your temper there. You destroyed several Family heirlooms that despite the fact he hated them he could get rid of because of them because of their family value. However he certainly could in good conscious not have them repaired.” 

Harry felt better knowing his temper hadn’t broken anything important. But he growled as he remembered that day, “I wasn’t angry with Fate or you just so you know.” 

Tom sat up slightly so he could look at Harry. “What do you mean?” 

“I mean I never once questioned our bond. All I have ever wanted is a family and if fate has decided that family should be with you, than I would never question it. What I was mad about and am still mad about is that prophecy. Fate wouldn’t have a prophecy like that and then make us mates. It doesn’t work like that. Which means the Prophecy was a fake.” 

Tom scowled at that logic. He had been so caught up in his emotional response to their mating that he had not though about the prophecy since that first night. So much of the pain they had caused each other was because of that prophecy. If it was fact then it had all been meaningless. 

Harry clenched his fists, “It means that my parents died for nothing. They were just pieces in the Old Goat’s game.” Harry’s eyes were bright with a dark light as he looked Tom dead in the eye. “I want him dead. I want his head on a pike.” Tom bit his lip as he started to chuckle. “I am not kidding Tom I want him fileted and served up on skewers!” 

Tom couldn’t hold his laughter in any longer and he buried his face against Harry’s shoulder. Remus and the other looked up in surprise at Tom’s laughter. Severus stared bewildered at his Lord. “What is so amusing?” 

“My Mate is so wickedly blood thirsty that is what is so funny. You would incite a mob against you if you did any of that.” 

Harry huffed, “well it is what I want. The bastard got my parents killed. He tried to have you kill me or have me kill you in return. I would see him tied down and have mice slowly eat him alive.” 

Tom started laughing again while Sirius grinned, “Good thinking Harry I will bring the cheese.” 

Remus grinned against Severus’s shoulder while the Potions Master rubbed the bridge of his nose. “You are so mundane with your torture method. You are a Slytherin now you should be thinking less like a muggle and more like a wizard.” 

“Oh is there a spell that would make him think mice are eating him alive?” 

Tom nodded, “I am almost certain there is one. We will have to look it up later.” 

Harry grinned and pulled Tom in for a kiss. The kiss was unrushed and possessive. Sirius grumbled in the background about his son and dating but neither one paid him any mind. The kiss only ended when Harry’s Healer returned with a smirk on his face. “That is not sleeping.” 

Harry grinned back, “No, but it distracts from the pain.” 

“I am sure it does.” The Healer took his vitals again while the nurse came in with the next dose of skele-gro. Harry chugged it back as quickly as he had the first time. When the Healer and nurse left Harry and Tom settled back down and Harry managed to sleep some in the following hours. 


End file.
